Secret Santa
by Ilovecats
Summary: Chief Webber decides to have a gift exchange for our favorite doctors at Seattle Grace. Fun ensues as people are forced to deal with past enemies and new loves. MerDer, AlexLexie, McStizzie.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: For legal purposes let's assume that I don't own anything.

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Richard Webber sighed as more doctors crowded into the small room usually reserved for conferences and consultations. He picked up the Santa hat and set it on the table in front of him. "Okay. This year I have decided that we will have a gift exchange."

A collective groan echoed throughout room. There were several cheers, one from Izzie Stevens, the other Sydney Heron.

"Do we have to buy everyone a gift?" George asked. He could barely afford his family gifts this Christmas. There was no way he would be able to buy other people decent presents as well.

"No," Richard said. "We're doing a Secret Santa."

"What's a Secret Santa?" Alex questioned.

"That's when you pick a name out of this hat," Richard said as he pointed to the Christmas hat. "And you buy that person a gift. This ensures that everyone receives a gift and you're not spending too much money buying everybody one."

"Do I have to do this?" Christina asked. "I'm Jewish and don't do the whole Santa thing."

"Yes," Richard said. "Just consider it secret whatever holiday icon you choose."

"Whatever," Christina said.

"Okay. I'm going to pass this hat around. You will pick one name from it. Make sure that it is not your own name. You will spend no less than twenty dollars and no more than fifty dollars on the gift for the person you pick." He gave the hat to the person standing directly to the right of him, Miranda Bailey. She took a name and passed the hat to the person next to her. Everybody repeated the process until the hat was passed back to Richard. He took the hat and looked inside. "There is still one name left in here," he said. "Who didn't take one?"

"That would be you sir," Dr. Bailey pointed out.

"Oh, that's right." He took the name from the hat. He shook his head as he studied the name -- _Miranda Bailey._

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George jogged up to meet Meredith and Christina at the nurse's station. He sighed when he heard them talking about the gift exchange. "Does anybody want to trade name? I got Callie and I really don't want to buy my ex-wife a Christmas gift."

"No way," Christina said. "I got Hahn's name. There is no way I'm going to pass up the opportunity to impress her."

Meredith nodded. "I picked Derek's name. I'll trade with you."

"Oh no you don't," Miranda said as she stepped up behind them. "If I have to get perky Sydney Heron a gift, you guys have to suffer and give Torres and Shepherd gifts as well. So I better see Grey giving Dr. Shepherd something and George giving Callie a present."

"Yes," they said in unison.

"Damn it," Meredith muttered when Bailey walked away.

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Izzie was sitting at a table in the cafeteria when Alex sat down next to her. She ignored him and took a bite of her sandwich.

"Hey Iz, you got Lexie right?"

Izzie swallowed her food and looked up. "Yeah, why?"

"Wanna trade?"

Izzie laughed. "No way. You probably got some weird intern or Callie." Izzie's eye widened. "Oh god, you picked Callie didn't you and now you're trying to make me suffer by forcing me to buy her a gift."

"No, I did not pick Callie's name from the hat. It's just…" He ran his fingers through his hair. How the hell was he supposed to tell his ex-girlfriend that he had a crush on another woman?

"You just what?"

"I already bought her a present and I didn't want her to throw it in my face when I give it to her."

Izzie smiled. Alex was never one to show his emotions. But she knew that he had a romantic side and this gesture that he was trying to show Lexie was genuine. "Okay. I'll trade with you." She handed him the piece of paper with Lexie's name on it.

"Thank you so much." He gave her the piece of paper with the name of the person he was supposed to plat Secret Santa for.

Izzie unfolded the strip of paper. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me," she said as she read the name on the paper. "Mark Sloan? Seriously? You so owe me."

Alex nodded his head. Izzie was doing him a huge favor by letting him trade Secret Santa's with her. "Whatever you want."

"You can help me set up for the New Year's Eve party we're having at Meredith's."

Alex groaned. "Fine."

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Lexie sat down at a computer to do research on a patient's condition. She flipped through the chart searching for information she needed to investigate the illness.

"Number Three," Christina's voice boomed above her.

Lexie looked up. Now what? She had just sent her to look this information up. Did she really expect it to be done already?

"Who did you get for the Secret Santa thing?"

"Excuse me?"

"The gift exchange. Whose name did you pick out of the hat?"

"Dr. Hahn."

"No. You picked O'Malley," she said as she shoved the paper in Lexie's face. I got Hahn."

"What?"

Christina didn't answer her. She simply set George's name on the table and took Hahn's from Lexie.

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Mark was sitting down at a table at Joe's bar, sipping a scotch and laughing at Derek as he tried to convince to swap names with him.

"Please Mark. I really need Meredith's name."

Mark shook his head. "No. I'm not going to let you be her Secret Santa."

"You're evil," Derek said. I know exactly what I want to get Meredith for Christmas. And the best way for me to give it to her without her pushing me away is to say that it's because I was her Secret Santa."

"If you want to give Meredith a present, give her a present. But don't let her think you only got it for her because you had to. Let her know that you wanted her to have it."

Derek groaned. Mark was right. He had to assure Meredith that he wanted her. The best way to do that was to get her a gift that proved it. But he still wanted the safety net of the Secret Santa. He could always blame Richard if it didn't go well.

"You guys know Karev pretty well, right?" Erica Hahn said as she sat in an empty seat at the table.

"I guess so," Derek said. "Is that who you got for your Secret Santa gift?"

She nodded. "I don't really know him that well. And I have no idea what to get him for Christmas."

"Give him money," Mark suggested. "You can't go wrong with money."

"Who'd you guys get for the gift exchange?" Callie Torres asked as she walked up to the table. "Do any of you guys want to trade?" She sat down.

"I got Yang. But the only person I'm trading with is the one that has Meredith."

Callie sighed. "Sorry, I got Stevens. I really don't want to buy her a gift. I mean, what do you buy the woman who had an affair with your husband?"

"I'll trade with you," Mark said. "I got Meredith."

"Oh no you don't," Derek exclaimed. "If you're not going to trade Meredith with me, you're not going to trade her with anyone."

"Sorry Callie. I guess you're stuck with Stevens."

She slammed her head against the table. "This sucks."

Erica shook her head. She could have easily told them that all Derek needed to do was let Mark trade with Callie and then Callie could trade with him. But she decided not to. She was still trying to figure out what to get Alex Karev for Christmas.

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Okay... Any thoughts on what everyone should get for Christmas? I'm a little lost at what some people should give others. I already have an idea for some of them but would appreciate some suggestions. I'll try to incorporate them into my story.

I'll try my best to have the second part of this story posted by Christmas day but no guarantees.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: For legal purposes let's assume that I don't own anything.

A/N: Thanks to ginnysmonkey for the idea for the gift. I hope you like the way I incorporated it my story.

Merry Christmas!

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Chief Webber smiled as he held the neatly wrapped gift in his hands. It was Christmas day and people had already started to exchange gifts. He walked up to Miranda and handed her the gift he had chosen for her. "Merry Christmas, Dr. Bailey."

She took the small box from him. "Merry Christmas, Richard." She tore off the paper and opened the box. She smiled. It was a silver identification tag that had her name on it. Under her name were the words Chief Resident. There was also a silver keychain with the same engraving on it. "Thank you."

"You're welcome Miranda." He kissed her cheek.

"Chief Webber," Sydney Heron chirped as she came up to the two other doctors. "This was one of the best ideas you have ever had. Everybody is just so happy today. Don't you just love that Christmas spirit?"

"Yes, I must say that it is nice to see some of these doctors really happy for a change," he replied as he looked around the room. People were smiling, exchanging gifts and talking cheerily to each other.

"Merry Christmas," she said as she handed Richard a present.

He opened it quickly. It was a bottle of cologne, the same kind he had worn for the last thirty-five years. "Thank you. How did you know?"

"I could never forget that scent. It's the same cologne that my father wears."

He nodded his head.

"Merry Christmas," Dr. Bailey said through clenched teeth as she gave Sydney her gift.

"Thank you." It was an expensive bath set from one of the specialty stores, pear scented. "It's perfect." She threw her arms around Bailey.

Bailey sighed as she wrapped her arms around Sydney. She would rather be spending it with her family.

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George nervously walked up to Callie, his arms shaking as he grasped the gift in his hands. "Merry Christmas," he said softly as he handed her the present.

Callie laughed. Of course this was the way her holiday was going to end up. Not only was she forced to buy a present for the woman that broke up her marriage, her philandering husband was the one that gave her a Secret Santa gift. She hesitantly took it from George and opened it. It was a cute figurine of a cat. It was dressed up like a doctor and placing a cast on a smaller kitten's broken tail. She wiped the tears out of her eyes. It was perfect. It almost made her feel guilty about the gift she bought for Izzie. Almost.

George started to walk away, his hands in his pockets.

Callie reached out, her hand grabbing his arm. "How are you? I mean, this is your first Christmas without your dad."

George shrugged his shoulders. "It hasn't really sunk in yet. I've been busy at work all day and I haven't had the time to think about it. But after my shift is over, I'm going to my mom's house. It's going to be weird not having my dad there."

"I'm sorry George."

"Thanks."

"Mistletoe," Sydney said as she stopped in front of George and Callie. She held a long pole with some mistletoe hanging off of a piece of string at the top. It was above their heads. "Tradition says that whenever two people are standing beneath mistletoe, they must kiss."

Callie leaned in and gave George a quick peck on the lips. George grabbed her waist and pulled her closer to him as he deepened the kiss. She struggled against him, finally giving up and surrendering to the kiss. She gently pushed him away from her when his hold on her finally loosened. "George I…" she said. She backed away from him and turned around.

"Callie, where are you going?"

"I'm going to go give your ex-mistress her Christmas gift."

George ran his fingers through his hair. What was that all about? He was supposed to be through with Callie; she was his ex-wife. He shook his head. It had to be the Holiday. It was getting to him and since his relationship with Izzie had ended months ago, he was lonely.

"Hey George," Lexie said.

"Hi, Lexie."

"Merry Christmas." She gave him a brightly wrapped present.

He unwrapped it and smiled. It was a green t-shirt, the words _You__ Rock! _printed on the front. "Thanks. And Merry Christmas. I know it must be hard without your mom this year."

She nodded. "Merry Christmas."

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Mark walked down the hallway, a large package in his hands. He sighed when he finally spotted Meredith at the nurse's station. "You've been a very difficult woman to track down today," he said as he set the gift down on the counter.

"I hate Christmas," she said as she walked away from him.

He picked up the present and easily caught up to her in three large strides. "I know. All your holiday memories are filled with pain and sorrow. Here," he shoved the package in front of her. "Just open your gift."

She reluctantly opened the present. She knitted her brows in confusion as she stared at the gift. "You got me an elf costume?"

Mark nodded. "On Halloween, you told me that you never dressed up and you never went trick or treating. Stores don't sell very many costumes around Christmas and this was the only one I could find. I figure next year if you ever get the urge to dress up for a party or to go trick or treating, you'll be prepared."

Meredith smiled. "Thank you." She gave him a hug. "Merry Christmas Mark."

"Merry Christmas Meredith," he said as she walked away.

"That was very sweet of you," Izzie said as she snuck up behind Mark.

He turned around. "Don't tell anyone."

She laughed. "Don't worry, I won't. I'm sure it's just the whole Christmas spirit catching up to you and you'll never do a thing like that ever again." She handed him a bag with two packages in it.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Merry Christmas from your Secret Santa."

He tore open the box first. It was the board game, _Twister_. "Um… thanks." He opened the other one. It was a bottle of wine. "Thanks."

She nodded. "The game was on sale so I got you the wine to follow the monetary requirements of the gift exchange."

Mark placed both gifts back in the bag and grabbed Izzie's hand. He led her to the nurse's station where he knew there was some mistletoe hanging.

"Mark, what are you…" the rest of her sentence was cut off as Mark leaned in and kissed her.

She pushed him away, her hand cracking against his cheek as she slapped him. "How dare you kiss me!"

"Mistletoe. Tradition," he said as he pointed at it.

Izzie laughed. "You are unbelievable."

"You bet I am," he said as he leaned in for another kiss. His fingers brushed through her hair, grazed past her back and finally rested when they reached her butt. He pulled her closer to him. When she moaned into his mouth, he stopped the kiss and grinned at her.

She shook her finger in his face. "You are so going to pay for that later."

"I look forward to it," he said as he winked at her.

Izzie grabbed Mark's arms and leaned in for another kiss.

"Doctor Stevens," Callie said.

Izzie pushed Mark away and turned to face Callie, her face flushed. "Yes."

"Here." She shoved a bag in Izzie's face. Izzie opened the bag, her eyes widening as she realized what was in there. It had to be at least fifty dollars worth of condoms.

"I figured the next time you tried to seduce somebody's husband you should be well prepared."

"Thank you?"

Callie didn't respond. She simply turned around and walked away.

"You know," Mark said. "I would be more than happy to help you use up all those condoms."

Izzie grabbed a handful from the bag and handed them to Mark. "Knock yourself out."

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Derek smiled when he spotted Meredith. She was sitting at a table in the cafeteria eating lunch with Christina. He clutched the gift in his hand and sat down at the table. "Merry Christmas Christina."

Christina accepted the present and opened it. It was the most recent edition on the newest techniques in cardiothoracic surgery by the most prominent surgeon in the world. She couldn't believe it. It was the same thing that she had gotten Dr. Hahn.

"Thank you."

"Dr. Hahn recommended it to me. She said that you would like it."

Damn it! No wonder Erica looked so offended when she gave her the book. Hahn must have thought that she re-gifted her present. She stood up quickly and grabbed the book. She had to find her and show her the present that Derek gave her. Dr. Hahn had to know that Christina Yang did not recycle her gifts. "See you later, Mer."

Meredith nodded and took another bite of her sandwich.

"Merry Christmas Meredith," Derek said.

"Merry Christmas." She handed him a card.

"I thought we weren't exchanging presents this year."

"It's for the Secret Santa thing."

He smiled and opened the card. He was surprised to see that it had a picture inside and not money.

"It was an odd thing to try and wrap and give to you. It's at my house if you want to come by and pick it up."

It was a fishing rod. It was from Meredith. It was perfect. "Thank you Meredith." He took a small box from his coat pocket and handed it to her.

"I thought Christina was your Secret Santa. And Mark already gave me a gift."

"This is me, Derek Shepherd, giving you, Meredith Grey, a present because I love you."

Meredith unwrapped it slowly, her eyes on Derek the entire time. She gasped when she opened the box. It was a ring; a simple gold band with a tiny diamond. It was around a thin chain. "Is this what I think it is?"

"It depends what you think it is. This is me making a leap of faith. I know that you are the only woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with. And I also know that you're not ready for that yet. You're still working through some issues, dealing with your past."

"Derek, I don't know what to say. I can't marry you. At least not yet."

"It's not an engagement ring. You told me that you didn't want me to date other people. I don't want to date other people either. And as long as you have that ring, I won't." He stood up and clasped the chain around her neck. "Every time that you push me away, all I have to do is look at that and know that you still love me. And when you've decided that our relationship is over, really over, you'll give me back the ring. I just hope that you never feel that way."

"Me too." She kissed him. Maybe she didn't hate Christmas after all.

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Lexie stretched her legs as she stood up from the floor in the supply closet. She opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

"Lexie," Alex said when he saw her.

She turned to look at him. "Alex."

"I've been looking for you all day." He smiled. "Merry Christmas."

She took an envelope and a CD from him. She opened the envelope and found two tickets to the Fall Out Boy concert.

"You told me that they were your favorite band. I got you two tickets and you can take anybody that you want to the concert. I hope that you'll take me however."

"Look Alex, when we first started doing what we were doing, you warned me that it was just sex. You don't need to buy me expensive tickets to apologize for sleeping with that other woman."

"Just listen to the CD then tell me if you want to go to the concert with me."

She nodded. "I have to get back to work. I'll call you if I decide to use these tickets." She walked away smiling. He had listened to something she had told him.

Alex walked out the front doors of Seattle Grace Hospital. It had been a long day but it went better than he expected. Lexie didn't throw the gift back in his face like he thought she would. That had to mean that she at least thought about forgiving him for being an idiot when it came to the way he treated her.

"Hey, Karev," Hahn said.

Alex stopped and waited for Erica. "Yes, Dr. Hahn."

"Merry Christmas." She gave him a circular tin with Santa Claus on top.

He opened it. It was a fruit cake. Taped to the bottom of the lid was a fifty dollar bill.

"Merry Christmas," she said again.

"Yeah. Merry freaking Christmas."

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Mark unlocked the door to his hotel room. He walked inside and smiled at the surprise waiting for him on his bed. It was beautiful blonde wearing red, lacy lingerie. He set his gift bag down. "Hello Izzie."

She got up and sauntered over to him. "I wanted to give you your last present."

"And what would that be?"

"Me." Izzie smiled as she took the bottle of wine out of the bag. She grabbed two glasses from a nearby table and poured a glass for both of them. She took a sip.

"I understand the wine," Mark said. "It's your favorite. I don't get the board game."

She set the glass on the table. "Take your clothes off."

Mark happily obliged as Izzie set up the game on the floor. She spun the spinner. "Left foot blue," she told him. They played the game, getting tangled up in a mess of arms and legs, making love twice on the floor before moving to the bed.

"I like naked_ Twister_," he said as he held her. "Best Christmas present ever."

"I hope you know that I'm the only one you're allowed to play that game with."

Mark laughed. "As long I'm the only man that gets to share your gift from Callie."

"Sounds fair." She closed her eyes.

"We should really tell everybody about us. I don't like getting slapped every time I try to kiss you in public."

"No, not yet."

"Why not?"

"I blackmailed Alex into helping me set up for the New Year's Eve party. If he finds out that he was doing me a favor by switching Secret Santa's with him, he'll back out."

"Fine, we'll wait. We'll tell them at the party. There is no way that I won't be kissing you at midnight."

Izzie smiled as she snuggled closer to Mark. She was looking forward to ringing in the New Year with her new boyfriend.

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Okay, I hope you guys liked it. I like some of the gift ideas I had but others I just wasn't sure about. I will admit that I watched way too many Christmas movies this past weekend and for whatever reason, everybody was playing twister in them. So I decided to put that in my story.

If you guys want me to, I can add another chapter to tie up some loose ends. It would most likely be the New Year's party and focus on Lexie and Alex, Meredith and Derek, Mark and Izzie, and probably a little Callie and George as well. If you were satisfied with this ending, I will end it here.

Anyhoo, thanks to those of you that have read and a special thanks to those of you that have taken the time to review.

And once again... Happy Holidays to everyone.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: For legal purposes, let's assume that I don't own anything.

A/N: There really are no excuses for the extreme lateness in updating this fic and for that, I am truely sorry.

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Izzie smiled as she handed Alex more streamers.

"How much more of this stuff do we need?"

Izzie took a step back and looked around the room. Black and white streamers were tacked across the ceiling, the occasional purple paper flower pinned where the streamers crossed. There were black and white balloons blown up and placed randomly throughout the room. She wiggled her nose, trying to figure out what was missing. "Confetti."

"Confetti Iz?" Alex said. "I thought we were going to use that at the actual party. You know, throw it around when the clock strikes midnight."

"I guess you're right," Izzie replied.

"I think we're done. We've been decorating for hours and I really need to take a shower."

"Fine, go," she said. "But you have to help me get the food setup when you're done."

"Can't you give me a break? I got fruit cake for Christmas."

"I got condoms."

"Condoms are so much better than fruit cake. I can use condoms. What am I supposed to do with a fruit cake?"

Izzie laughed. "And who exactly would you use those condoms with? I thought Lexie still wasn't talking to you."

"It's not like you're using those condoms either. You haven't been with anyone since O'Malley and that was months ago."

"That's not what I heard," Christina said from the doorway.

"Eww Izzie," Alex said. "You and Bambi are still together."

Christina snickered. "She's moved on to bigger and better things."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"So the rumor about you and Sloan making out in front of the nurse's station is untrue?"

"He kissed me."

"I can't believe you Izzie!" Alex said. "You made me put up all these stupid decorations for hours. The balloons and the flowers and…" Alex ran his fingers through his hair. He shoved his right hand in her face and started wagging his finger. "And you've been sleeping with Sloan for who knows how long." He threw his hands up in the air. "Well, no more. If you need any more help setting up for this party, call your boyfriend." Alex turned and stormed upstairs to take a shower.

Izzie shook her head. That didn't turn out the way she wanted it to. "Why did you have to do that for?" she asked.

"It really is true, isn't it?" Christina said. "I have really underestimated you."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

Christina laughed. "I never thought you had it in you to go for someone like Sloan. And to keep it a secret. And," Christina said, her eyes lighting up as she spoke. "You used emotional blackmail to get Alex to help you." Christina placed her arm around Izzie's shoulders. "I'm proud of you."

Izzie scowled. "Why did you have to tell Alex though? Now I have to call Mark and make him come here and help me finish setting up for the party."

Christina shrugged her shoulders.

Izzie pulled out her cell phone and quickly dialed Mark's number.

He picked up on the third ring. "Hello."

"Hey Mark, could you come over to Meredith's? I need your help."

"Sure. I'll be right there."

Izzie closed her cell phone and turned toward Christina. "I should make you help me for driving Alex away."

"I don't think so. I'm not going to be your personal slave so you can decorate Meredith's house into New Year's hell." Christina made her way up stairs leaving Izzie alone in the living room.

Izzie was setting up the tables that she was going to display the food on during the party when there was a knock at the door. She opened the door. It was Mark.

He craned his neck and observed the state of the living room. "Please tell me that Karev helped you with all of this."

Izzie shook her head. "Most of it. I've been arranging the tables after Christina scared Alex away." Izzie laughed at the look Mark gave her. "She informed him of the kiss you gave me on Christmas in front of the nurses who have nothing better to do than gossip. He realized that I duped him into helping me set up for the party."

"So we've been outed?"

"Yes."

"So if I were to kiss you right now, that would be okay?"

"Mark…" Her words were cut off as his lips descended upon hers.

"I've wanted to do that since I got here," he said. "I'm glad your friends know about us."

Izzie just glared at him. "How can you say that? Alex was supposed to help me set everything up and now I'm on my own. I have so much left to do."

"I told you that I would help you."

"Look Mark, I know you don't want to help me. I'm not going to make you do something that you don't want to."

Mark laughed. She was willing to trick her friends into helping her but she didn't want his help when he offered it. He grabbed her hand and kissed the top of it. "You should know by now that I would do anything for you. I'm in love with you."

Izzie stopped moving and narrowed her eyes as she stared at him. "What did you just say?"

"I love you. I've been in love with you for a while now and I've wanted to tell you but I could never find the right time. Every time we're alone together we're usually having sex and you don't tell a woman you love her for the first time right before you have sex or even right after you have sex because then she'll just think you said it because of the sex and…"

"Shut up Mark."

"What?" He looked at her, his vulnerability showing.

"You're rambling. And when you're rambling, I can't tell you that I'm in love with you too."

Mark smiled and pulled her closer to him. "Say it again."

"I love you Mark."

"I love you too." He leaned down and kissed her.

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Meredith sat on the edge of her bed staring at the ring she wore around her neck. It had been a week since Derek had given it to her. And in that short period of time she had never felt more secure in her relationship with Derek. As long as she had that ring, Derek would be hers. At least that's what she thought until she heard the gossip. Derek had kissed another woman, some scrub nurse named Rose. And all of her old fears came rushing back to her. She was leaving herself open for him again and he was going to abandon her again leaving her broken and alone. No, not this time. This time she was going to stop him from stepping all over her heart. She carefully removed the chain from around her neck and placed it on the dresser in her room. This time she was going to end it before it got that far.

Meredith opened the door to her bedroom and went downstairs. Mark was there, in her living room, helping Izzie prepare for the party. She shook her head. Just another piece of gossip that had been floating around Seattle Grace Hospital being confirmed. Another indication that the rumor about Derek was also true. "Do you guys need any help?"

Izzie stopped what she was doing and turned to look at Meredith. "Did you lose a bet or something? I thought you hated these holiday festivities."

"And I thought you hated Sloan."

Izzie shook her head. "Nope. I love him."

Meredith stopped in her tracks. Izzie was in love with Mark Sloan, resident man-whore. That was unexpected. She just thought they were having sex.

"And I love her," Mark said.

"Wow!"

Mark smiled. "Yep. I can't believe it myself sometimes. I guess it just shows you that everyone can change if they have a good enough reason to."

Izzie wrapped her arms around Mark. "So, what do you want to help us with?"

"Nothing. I…" Meredith walked back toward the stairs. "I just remembered something else that I had to do." She closed the door to her bedroom behind her. She picked up her cell phone and called Derek.

"Hello?"

"Derek, could you come over. We need to talk before the party."

"Okay."

Derek knocked on the door to Meredith's house. He waited for a few seconds before Izzie came to answer the door. He walked into the living room and stopped when he noticed that Izzie wasn't alone. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm helping my girlfriend."

Derek looked at the two of them skeptically. "Um… okay. I'm going to go see Meredith now." He went upstairs and lightly knocked on Meredith's bedroom door before entering. He sat down on the bed next to Meredith and grabbed her hand. "So Mark and Izzie."

"Yeah," Meredith replied as she pulled her hand away from him. "Who's Rose?" She stood up, her back toward him.

"I kissed her before you asked to be exclusive. It meant absolutely nothing to me."

"Why? Why did you do it to begin with?"

He stood up and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "It was a mistake. I was frustrated with the state of our relationship. You kept pushing me away every time I tried to get closer to you. Rose didn't push me away. She opened up to me in ways that you never could."

Meredith shrugged Derek away from her. "If she's so easy to be with, why don't you go be with her?"

Derek grabbed her and turned her around. He stared straight in her eyes. "I've already done easy. With Addison. Easy is boring. I want you. You make my life interesting. You make it meaningful."

Meredith blinked back the tears in her eyes. "You mean that I make it complicated. I make you miserable so you find the need to kiss other women."

"Sometimes you make me miserable. Sometimes you make me angry. Sometimes you just make me want to strangle you. But mostly you make me happy. Everyday I think about how lucky I am that you gave me a second chance after I tried to reconcile with Addison. I'm grateful that you chose me over Finn even though I didn't choose you over Addison. And you have to know that I will never make that mistake again. I will always choose you." Derek leaned in for a kiss but she pushed him away. He looked at her and realized that she was no longer wearing the ring he had given her. "I understand," he said as his fingers traced her neck. "It's over. But just so you know. I still choose you." He walked toward the door.

"Derek, wait."

He stopped in front of the door, his hand poised over the doorknob. He didn't turn around. He refused to look at her anymore. "On Christmas, I gave you the necklace so that I would always be reminded that you were there for me. I needed to be reminded that you wanted me even when your words told me otherwise. You're no longer wearing it. It can only mean one thing. You don't want me anymore."

"Derek," she cried as she reached for him. She gripped his arm and forced him to turn around. "You told me to give you back the ring when I thought it was over."

He didn't say anything. He just stood there, his arms folded across his chest.

"I'm not giving you back the ring. I will never give you back the ring."

"Then why did you push me away when I tried to kiss you? Why did you tell me to choose another woman?"

"Because I'm scared. I'm afraid that one day I'm going to wake up and you're no longer going to be there laying next to me. I'm scared that you're going to realize that I'm not worth all this trouble and leave me."

"I won't. I love you too much to do that."

"I know. That's why I took the ring off of the chain." She gave him her left hand. The small diamond caught his eye, the light reflecting off of it. "I'm taking a chance. I don't know what's going to happen and I'm scared to death. But I'm saying yes. I want to marry you."

Derek smiled as he picked her up and spun her around the room. "I love you Meredith Grey and I promise that you will never regret this."

GAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA

Okay, what do I say... I originally had intended to include a Lexie/Alex moment as well as a George/Callie moment but life got in the way and I lost interest in this story. I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to update this fic. I hope it satisfies both McStizzie and MerDer fans out there.

Anyhoo... for those of you reading my other stories, do not worry. I am almost done with the next chapter of Faking It. I'll try to post it as soon as I can but I'm not sure when that will be. As for Tuesdays, I have put that fic on hold for now until I have the inspiration to continue with it.

As always, thanks to those of you that have read and a special thanks to those of you that have taken the time to review.


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